


Just For a Moment, Lean On Me

by starsnatched



Series: Fangs On My Neck (Now You're Mine) [9]
Category: NCT (Band)
Genre: Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Angst, Character Study, Developing Relationship, Fluff, I say he gets into a fight when really he tried to throw a punch and it landed on someone's leg, M/M, Might add more tags, Non-Traditional Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Relationship Study, Self Confidence Issues, Yuta gets into a fight?, Yuta snaps, this is so...
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-11
Updated: 2020-10-11
Packaged: 2021-03-08 03:55:23
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,904
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26949322
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/starsnatched/pseuds/starsnatched
Summary: For some reason, in the few seconds that passed, Yuta had tackled the man onto the ground. The alpha is straddling the stranger, fist raised. But what hurts the most is the screaming. Yuta is screaming.
Relationships: Jung Yoonoh | Jaehyun/Nakamoto Yuta
Series: Fangs On My Neck (Now You're Mine) [9]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1859527
Comments: 14
Kudos: 123





	Just For a Moment, Lean On Me

**Author's Note:**

> Oh my god... I got second-hand embarrassment typing this out... S O Yuta has some issues he bottled up inside but erupted when Jaehyun is in danger or pain. Cool! Now I'm worried that this wasn't fleshed out so well but this is the best I could do...
> 
> As always, let me know what you think in the comments below!

“I don’t wanna go to school,” Jaehyun groans as he gets ready for class. The fucking irony. “Can’t we just go back to cuddling?”

“For the fourth time, no,” The shorter sighs out, nonchalantly picking up a shirt from the other man and putting it on. He sniffs at it, smelling to see if it did indeed have the cinnamon smell, and he lets out a noise of satisfaction. He then heads to the bathroom, all the while the ravenet is complaining. He comes back with a box of band-aids and he waves it in the air. “Do you want me to—?”

“To…?” Jaehyun raises an eyebrow, before it clicks. “Oh. Well, I mean… everyone already knows that I c-claimed you so you don’t have to… to uh, hide it.”

“Okay,” Yuta looks at the box, then back at the other. “Do you wanna use these then?”

“Those wouldn’t be enough to cover up all the hickies you gave me,” The taller deadpans, but then he gets all shy. His ears turn red, and his words tumble out of his mouth like a waterfall. “A-and uh…”

“Uh?”

“Uh,” Jaehyun drawls, swallowing because his throat is so, so dry. “I-I don’t want to use the band-aids… yeah.”

“Wait— are you sure? I mean—” The older man can only let out a nervous laugh. Showing off claiming bites… it practically screams _I’m taken by an alpha!_ And… and Yuta isn’t sure if the ravenet is ready for that. “Are y-you _really_ sure because… you know—”

“Y-yes, yes it’s okay,” The taller stutters, face full of red. “U-unless you don’t want me to, then—”

“I-I want!” Yuta raises his voice, but then clears his throat. His voice is mostly normal, save for its shakiness. “I m-mean, I want but… do _you_ want? To not cover it up?”

“I don’t really mind,” The younger looks down . “I don’t— I know you’re here. And our friends support me too. And it should be okay.”

“But that's— What about you? I need to know that _you’re_ okay with it. Not because of me, or our friends, whatever. I need to know that you’re doing this for you.” 

“I really appreciate the concern but… I’m fine, okay?” Jaehyun crosses the room so as to reach the shorter and hold his hands. “We… we shouldn’t worry too much, right? We’re not hurting anyone. It’s fine. It’s who we are. We’re okay.”

“Yeah. Yeah, we are. I just—” Yuta sighs when he’s hugged. “I just don’t want you to regret anything. People can be fucking mean, you know?”

“I know,” The Korean murmurs as he lets the other man burrow into his neck, lets him find comfort in him and the cinnamon. “But it’s just you and me. Last time I checked, we claimed each other. And only each other.”

“Can I just say you’ve grown?” The blonde unexpectedly embraces Jaehyun tight, not wanting to let go. As if he’s afraid that somehow he’ll lose the taller man, and it would break him. “You... you changed in such a short span of time. Three months and… wow. You’re so positive and so hopeful that it’s just so— I’m a little jealous, to be honest.”

“What! I got it from you. You’re so strong, hyung,” The ravenet gushes, pulling Yuta away so he can make eye contact. Jaehyun’s eyes sparkle with so much adoration and love; they’re so bright. But it fades just a bit. “You’re really confident… just like an alpha would be.”

“Hey, come on. None of that,” The older says, leaving a wisp of a kiss on Jaehyun's cheek. He wraps his arms around the taller once again. “You’re an alpha.”

“I know. But it’s just a little...” The Korean sighs wetly as he shakes. The voice that had nestled in the back of his mind is still there, ever so present. But it’s just that— a mere little voice. It hisses at him, tells him of how wrong it is and how it’s so against what nature dictates, but it’s only a mere whisper. It is still there, though, never letting up on its harshness. “It’s still a little difficult.”

“We’ll get there, alpha,” Yuta says, purposefully calling the younger as such. The title calms the ravenet down; he needed a little reminder, is all. No matter what his instincts try to tell himself, there’s no changing the fact that he’s an alpha. “Let’s take it slow, okay?”

“Okay,” The other man sighs, closing his eyes when his nose is filled with soft nutmeg. “God, what would I do without you?”

“You’re giving me way too much credit,” The Japanese man mutters, but laughs when he feels the both of them swaying— thanks to Jaehyun. “Now let go! Last time I checked, we were both still getting ready.”

Yuta doesn’t say much when the younger gives an earbud to him so they can share music while walking; in fact, he accepts it with a smile. But he looks hesitant when the Korean offers a hand. To hold. Jaehyun wants to hold hands in public. He’s unsure if the university campus is considered public but… still. “I don’t know, Jaehyunnie… are you sure? Is it okay with you?”

“I’m sure,” The younger one says, and his voice is steady. His eyes are clear, and his face is schooled in a serious expression. “I promise.”

“Okay,” And with a lace of their fingers, palm against palm, they continue walking to school. They walk in silence until Yuta turns his head to talk, “You look like you were mauled.”

“All because of a certain someone,” The younger says breezily. He lets his free hand run over his neck for a second before letting it fall. “Honestly, I’m liking this better than I thought I would. Showing them off, I mean.”

“That’s nice to know. It's also nice to know that you're taken by me,” Yuta says, but he grunts when he feels himself being pushed. He regains his footing quickly, and pushes his own hips back. “What? It’s true.”

“I thought you were only possessive when you’re in rut…” The taller lets out a ‘tsk’ sound, letting his eyes admire the campus view lazily. They glance over the trees, the empty campus road on which they’re both walking on. A young man suddenly wolf-whistles which makes Jaehyun zero in on him, and the look on his face has him tightening his grip on Yuta’s hand. 

“What’s wrong—?” The blonde asks, only to be cut off from a loud voice. “Hey, you two! You alphas?”

Jaehyun finds the person to just be so… wrong; he can’t precisely put a finger on it, but the vibes that he’s getting from this guy is awful. Judging by Yuta freezing up beside him, the Japanese man feels it too. The taller man’s voice comes out as a squeak, “Y-yeah. Why?”

“Ohoho, that’s sweet,” The ravenet swears he hears a sneer underneath those words. This man—this stranger— approaches them, and he’s hit with a scent that commands compliance and answers. This scent is hostile, rearing its head like a snake ready to bite. “So who’s the top and who’s the bottom?”

“Excuse me?” Jaehyun smells sour nutmeg before he hears Yuta’s snarl. The Korean wants to do something, say anything, but he can’t. Both smells keep him rooted and quiet.

“You’re the bottom,” The man points at the blonde, then at the taller. “And you’re the top. Am I right? It’s easy to tell— height differences, you know.”

“It’s actually none of your fucking business,” Yuta’s laugh is cold, emotionless. It lacks anything human and it makes the younger scared; he has a feeling that this isn’t going to end well. “Now if you’ll excuse us—”

The ravenet feels a frantic tug from his hand and he can only follow. He takes one, two steps before he’s being roughly pulled by his shoulder. Jaehyun looks back and it’s the same man. A grin is plastered on his face, and it makes the Korean’s gut twist; it’s full of disgust, mockery.

_I love myself. I’m okay. It’s who I am. I’m still an alpha through and through. I love myself._

“Hey, I was just asking!” The alpha barks out laughter, and it slices through Jaehyun’s soul. He stays silent, even if his inner alpha laughs along. “Nevermind. I think you—” He pushes a finger against the ravenet’s chest roughly. “You’re the bottom, right? What, your alpha fucked you so good you don’t remember how to knot?”

“T-that’s enough,” Jaehyun feels tears gather up in his eyes, and he growls weakly but deeply. He hears shushing and when he looks, there’s a bunch of people staring. His heart stutters out of his chest. The ravenet can feel Yuta squeezing the life out of his hand, but he doesn’t care; it’s the one thing that’s keeping him grounded. “We’re leaving, and what we do is—”

“Yoohoo, blondie!” The random alpha draws his words out, and tries to tug Jaehyun’s shirt down to gawk at the hickies. He even points at the claiming bite there, still fresh. “Oh shit— oh fuck that’s a lot. Was it a lot of fun? Yo, blondie! How did it feel to fuck an alpha? Hey, you know alphas can’t be mates with each other, right? That goes against—”

The Korean was being barraged with all these cruel words that he felt himself retreat into his head. He doesn’t even notice that Yuta had let go and left his side. His inner alpha is louder than ever. _He’s making fun of you!_ They snap, hungry for blood. _You’re weak, you’re—!_

But Jaehyun thinks and thinks. His mind races as he struggles to put the pieces together. When the sentence forms, he knows his inner alpha is watching. The words aren’t spoken aloud, but he knows his alpha is listening when he asks with a sad kind of curiosity, _Why do you want me to feel like shit so badly?_

And the question was like a bucket of ice cold water being dumped on him. 

Jaehyun is quite rudely brought back to the present, and his body is pumped full of adrenaline as his gaze becomes razor sharp and he feels his fingers tingle. The claiming mark throbs, and it’s so bad that it has the younger doubling over. He hears people gasp— some scream, others whoop, and when he looks, it’s Yuta.

For some reason, in the few seconds that passed, Yuta had tackled the man onto the ground. The alpha is straddling the stranger, fist raised. But what hurts the most is the screaming. Yuta is screaming. 

Jaehyun can’t make out what the older is saying; is he even saying anything? Not that it matters— the taller’s body moves automatically and quickly crosses the distance and manages to wrap his arms around the smaller’s waist and pull him away just when his fist comes down; it strikes against the person’s leg instead, and he hisses in pain. 

“—ck you! Fuck you!” The words start to make sense, and they tumble out of the blonde’s mouth like rapid gunfire. His hands try to pry Jaehyun’s away, but the younger doesn’t want Yuta to hurt anyone. “What the fuck is your deal?! Who the fuck do you think you are?!”

“Hyung. Yuta hyung. Alpha, we’re okay. It’s okay. Come back, alpha,” The younger mumbles, trying to soothe the other. Cinnamon with a hint of Christmas settles on their tongues— Jaehyun’s, Yuta’s, the stranger’s, even some of the people watching. But only the Japanese man seems to calm down from it, screams dying down to heavy pants. Jaehyun whirls his head around and gestures to a random bystander. “You! Go call a campus guard! _Go!_ ”

The Korean watches the person dash away as he sits him and the older down on the pavement. He loosens his grip when he feels a shaky hand reach up to clasp his neck. The claiming bite throbs again, and he’s certain the shorter feels it too. 

“I fucked up,” Yuta lets out a shaky sigh, bringing his hands to his face. They hear the shoving of people and several shouts for people to move out of the way, and it was a sign several guards had arrived. “Fuck, I’m so sorry. I’m really sorry Jaehyunnie—”

“It’s okay,” The younger man says as he watches two guards pull up the stranger from the ground. He keeps repeating it like a mantra, something to convince them both even when another pair of guards roughly haul them up. “We’ll be okay.”

Jaehyun waits nervously outside the office. He taps his foot and fidgets in his seat. Several people that witnessed the incident were there too—most likely to give their statements— and they throw him annoyed looks. But the man doesn’t care; he’s more worried about Yuta, who’s currently in the office of the dean. 

His foot keeps tapping and his body keeps moving until he hears the door open. His head whips up to see the Japanese man, and his heart shatters. Yuta’s eyes are red and swollen, and he looks like a kicked puppy. The ravenet reaches out a hand and while the shorter takes it, he lets go after a moment. The blonde’s voice is raspy and cracked, “They’re calling you into the office.”

Jaehyun stands up and lets out a shaky breath as Yuta is escorted away by a guard. His legs wobble as they move and he observes how his hand shakes ever so slightly when he twists the doorknob. He’s met with the sight of the dean and the stranger. The alpha glares at him, but looks away and shrinks when the dean slams a hand firmly down on her desk. 

“Mister Yoonoh,” The dean says as she lets her eyes scan over the tense ravenet as he sits down, observing the way he shakes. Her eyes soften, and though it may seem unprofessional, she lets her scent—calming lavender— ease his anxiety. She smiles softly, but the words that leave her mouth leave no room for negotiation. “Please tell me what happened. Tell me everything.”

When the ravenet reaches the door to his dorm room, he sighs. The dean had assured him that his voice has been heard and that the situation will be handled accordingly, but he’s still worried. Will Yuta be suspended, or expelled? Oh god, it makes his whole chest go numb from the dread that slowly crawls from his heart to invade every cell of his body.

He opens the door and… Yuta is there, sitting at the edge of their bed.

“Hyung!” The taller, in his haste, loudly slams the door shut and trips on his feet in an effort to remove his shoes. He almost slips as he rushes to the older man’s side, but he manages to cross the distance between them in one piece. He kneels on the floor and tries to peer up at Yuta, worry riding on his voice, “What happened? Are you okay? What did they—”

He’s cut off by a sob, and then Jaehyun’s pulled up and into a hug. He doesn’t try to get out of it— he maneuvers them so that they’re laying on the bed; the Korean doesn’t say anything, not even when Yuta’s grip tightens. The man speaks, and his voice sounds empty, “I-I’m so sorry, I— fuck, I didn’t mean for you to get involved. I... I let it get to my—”

“Hyung, Yuta hyung. It’s okay. We’re okay. We’re safe,” Jaehyun murmurs, letting his fingers twist in the blonde hair. “It’s alright, hyung. Was… was it what you told me before? About… the people thing?”

The Japanese man just nods. He drones on with that hollow voice of his, “Yeah... yeah, I just— When he started talking about what we should or shouldn’t do... I tried to ignore it but he… he was also referring to you and I wouldn’t— I couldn’t let you go through that too. You know?”

A shaky breath leaves his lips, and it’s almost haunting. “I don’t get it. I thought I had it together. I don’t understand...” a shudder wracks through his body. “I’m sorry, Jaehyunnie. I thought that I was okay but… well, I guess I’m not.” 

Yuta lets out a sad chuckle, and he looks up to play with the younger’s hair this time. His eyes are not really there— they’re wistful, thinking about things that makes Jaehyun feel like he wouldn’t be able to understand completely, “Sorry for… not keeping it together. I’m sorry for not keeping myself in control. I’ll do better next time, I promise.”

“You’ve done so well, hyung,” Jaehyun says, letting cinnamon and nutmeg intertwine. He strokes the blonde hair and continues to do so. “You’re doing so well. You’re so strong, alpha. Thank you for standing up for us.”

“Really? I’ve done well?” The older gasps out, and the Korean can feel panic beating at his chest, through the claim mark. Jaehyun doesn’t outright point it out, however— it can’t be denied they were both caught up in a huge mess. “But what if… what if the university decides to—”

“Everything will be fine,” The ravenet says, hugging Yuta close. He feels arms wrap around him. “We’re gonna be okay, okay? If ever something happens, we still have each other.”

Jaehyun waits outside the guidance counselor’s office. Classes had ended, so he was just skimming through some lecture notes on his notebook as the minutes tick by.

The man thanks whatever god is up in the sky for the outcome. The harasser had been suspended for a few weeks, and Yuta managed to get off on probation that lasted for a semester and a half; the dean had even encouraged them to see the guidance counselor for as long as they are students in her university. 

_“I’m no expert. I’ll admit I’m not that well-versed with how the mind works,” the dean sighed as she leaned back in her chair. “But I can see the both of you are struggling.”_

_“Haha, I didn’t know it was that obvious…” Jaehyun lets out a nervous laugh, feeling nervous. He’s alone in her office now, and he knows she can sense his anxiety in the air. The dean doesn’t use her scent to calm him however, if the lack of lavender is any indication. He sighs, hanging his head, “Yuta and I are… okay, right? We’re fine being… you know?”_

_“If you see yourself being with him as a mate then that’s up to you, mister Yoonoh,” The beta chuckles when he sees how the student jumps and how the cinnamon sweetens at the word ‘mate’. “I’m telling this to you as your dean— only you can define what is okay. If being with mister Nakamoto makes you happy, then that’s alright. I’m in no place to dictate what is okay or otherwise; only you can do that for yourself.”_

_“Oh,” The man can only say. Too many thoughts swirl in his head and make a messy soup. “Oh.”_

_“As you know, harming another student is against the code of conduct here in this university and is potentially a severe offense,” The dean states. “But I understand mister Nakamoto had done so in self-defense, so the board of education and I have decided that he’ll be placed under disciplinary probation. I trust that as his mate, you’ll help him stay out of trouble?”_

_“Sure, b-but—” Jaehyun stutters out, face hot. “We’re not um… we’re not mates. I mean, I think? Just p-putting it out there.”_

_“You’re courting each other, though. Your scent has a hint of his, if my nose serves me correct?”_

_“Yeah but,” The man brings a hand to his face and lets it slide down in frustration. “I— no,_ we _have a lot of issues and it makes everything kind of… complicated? I think.”_

_The dean looks out her window for a moment, observing the campus grounds with a thoughtful look on her face. Jaehyun opens his mouth and is about to speak when the beta beats him to it, “Would you mind seeing the guidance counselor once a week?”_

_“P-pardon?”_

_“As I’ve said before, I can see the both of you are struggling,” The dean’s face is all business, and it makes Jaehyun sit up rigidly straight. “But I think it’s something out of my expertise. I can only offer our counseling services here on campus grounds, and I understand that I cannot force you to see them. However…”_

_She sighs, and her eyes are filled with sympathy. “I am the dean, and one of my duties is to make sure the students are okay. And so, I would like to highly encourage the both of you to see the guidance counselor. I assure you that they are competent at their job and that they wish nothing but the best for the students. So I—”_

_“I’ll do it,” Jaehyun blurted out. He realized he cut the dean off, and stood up to bow ninety degrees as a form of apology. His ears are tomato red, “I-I’m sorry. I just— yeah, I’m okay with it. I’ll talk to Yuta about it, too. But I’m, uh, fine with it.”_

_The dean looks surprised for a moment, before her face melts into a smile. It’s full of understanding. “Excellent. I’ll inform the guidance counselor about the arrangement. You may start seeing them next week, on any day of your choice.”_

_“Thank you,” The man stands up straight. He brings a hand to his neck, and he can faintly feel the heat of embarrassment there. God, it’s so awkward but… the offer warms his heart. He sighs internally with relief. “I really can’t say much but I— um, well… thank you.”_

_The dean bows her head slightly, chuckling under her breath, “That will be all.You may leave now, mister Yoonoh. Thank you for your time.”_

“—Hyun? Hey, Jaehyunnie,” A voice and some nutmeg bring the Korean back, and there’s Yuta standing in front of him. “Sorry for making you wait. Must’ve been a while, huh?” 

“It’s fine, don’t worry. So let’s go back to the dorms?” Jaehyun stands up as he zips up his backpack. They walk through the campus grounds in silence, and if anyone is staring at them, the pair do their best to pay them no mind. The taller starts the conversation by clearing his throat, “So… how was it? How are you feeling?” 

“It was actually… really eye-opening. I guess… I guess I found out some stuff about myself. Like, I wouldn’t really have known? I mean, I probably should have but… is it bad that I liked how some harsh truths were pointed out to me?” 

“I think it’s fine, because at least you know now? There isn’t anything wrong with having to ask for help, right? You told me so,” Jaehyun answers as he plays with the hoodie that he gave to the shorter. The Japanese man smacks the hand away, which makes the younger laugh. “Do you wanna tell me about it?” 

“Maybe when we get to the dorm. For now let’s just hold hands, if you wanna?” Yuta stretches out a hand, an invitation. The ravenet accepts it with a huge grin, letting their fingers link together and their body heat warm each other up. It’s almost time for Fall. 

**Author's Note:**

> I really want to point it out here because I'm getting the feeling that I wasn't able to write it properly but— guys, honestly, do you see it? Like, Jaehyun struggling with how he sees himself and Yuta worrying about how other people see him (and Jaehyun)— is it, like, *there*? I wanted to, like, give Yuta a reason about why he worries so much about what Jaehyun wants and if it's really okay with him, especially when it comes to PDA and shit. God, I'm so scared that this is just turning into a hot mess HAHA...
> 
> So uh... next chapter I'll do my best to delve into Yuta's character (and past, maybe?), and of course Jaehyun's as well! 
> 
> twitter: @starsnatched


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